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RIZAL

29 March 2016

Camille C. Flores

Authenticity of Jose Rizal being a national hero


RATIONALE:
Based on an official document (Selection and Proclamation of National
Heroes and Laws Honoring Filipino Historical Figures; 2002), Dr. Jose Rizal has
never been conferred this title should we base everything he did with this
document? What should one person do to be able to become a hero?

ABSTRACT:
What is a hero? A hero has a concept of the nation and thereafter
aspires and struggles for the nations freedom. A hero thinks of the future,
especially the future generations; however, the choice of a hero involves not
only the recounting of an episode or events in history, but the entire process
that made this particular person a hero better yet, a national hero. Dr. Jose
Rizal did everything that was mentioned earlier, but why was he shortlisted
as a national hero? If ever he didnt write his retraction document, what
happened after that? Will he still be our national hero?
This research is about the authenticity of Jose Rizal being the
Philippines national hero and every work that he did for him to become the
hero as we see him now.

INTRODUCTION
Filipinos have been constantly debating whether Dr. Jose Rizal deserves
to be a national hero ever since he sacrificed his life for the freedom and
welfare of his fellow countrymen.
In one study, Rizal is not considered as a national hero, according to
the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), since there

have been no laws passed concerning the recognition of any national hero
despite Rizals efforts in the revolution (Ty 2012). There have been reports
regarding the recommendation of nine Filipino revolutionaries, including Jose
Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo, to be promoted to the status of
national heroes. This recommendation, however, still is not granted until now
for the reason that the NHCP has not taken any action at all (De Guzman
2012).
In other reports there debates taking place whether Rizal or Bonifacio
should be a national Filipino. Ronquillio (2013) said that these debates are
totally unnecessary, divisive, and they pollute and not enrich the
national conversation. To Ronquillio Bonifacio is the greater hero, as
Bonifacio lead the Katipunan with unwavering commitment and awe-inspiring
leadership. He also said that while Bonifacio is the greater hero, Rizal is
acknowledged as Asias Renaissance man; furthermore, Rizal is the epitome
of heroism and embodiment of human excellence.
These previous studies focus on the accomplishments of Rizal;
however, they ignore the controversies that hinder the process of his
recommendation as a national hero. This research paper aims to shed some
light regarding Rizals retraction document and how it has affected the
decisions of our government. The pros and cons of the retraction document
will be discussed in the paper, after that an analysis will be carried out and
finally end up with a conclusion.

OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this research paper are:
a) To find out what makes Rizal our national hero
b) To know what did he really do to be treated as our national hero
c) To know if he will be still a hero if ever he didnt write the retracted
document

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Ty R. (24 April 2012) Rizal is not our official national hero


Rizal is not our official hero according to the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) There have never been any law to
recognize a national hero in our country. Also, there have never been laws to
recognize what we call national symbols. For a national symbol or hero to
officially be recognized as one a law must be declared for it be.

De Guzman S. (31 December 2012) Is Jose Rizal a national hero?


The government must inform their Filipino citizens about the truth that
Rizal has never been recognized as a hero. Administrations over the years
have failed to educate the youth and our people the facts about our country.
Filipinos admire Rizal so much they study Rizals greatest works, such
as Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, moreover Filipinos praise Rizals
pieces terribly well that the common folk have forgotten the other heroes
who withstood against our countrys usurpers.
Rizal maybe considered a hero to our countrymen; however, as with
other Philippine icons treated as national symbols, there have never been
any laws stating that they are official. The only national symbols recognized
are the Narra, Sampaguita, Philippine Eagle, South Sea Pearl and the Arnis.
The narra symbolizes the diverse cultures in our country while sampaguita
symbolizes purity, simplicity, humility and strength. The eagle symbolizes
power and freedom, the pearl symbolizes our social economy and cultural
tradition, lastly Arnis symbolizes our combat proficiency and our art of
discipline.
Other Philippine icons are mistaken for national symbols but are still
taught in schools and exposed in social media. Examples of these are the
Anahaw, Tinikling, Carabao, Bangus and Sipa. These are only called cultural
and are not national symbols because they have not been declared by the
law.
No Filipino bayani has been recognized as a national hero by the law.
There are only laws that honor them for their contributions. However, on
November 15 1999 a committee of NHCP created an order to make nine

Filipino historical figures to be officially national heroes. This proposal is still


not granted until now, regardless of the initial actions taken.

Did Dr. Jose Rizal deserve to be a national hero? (3 February 2007)


According to the writer, Rizal is a hero but not worthy to become a national
hero. He only became a hero because he was born with a silver spoon in his
mouth. Through this he was able to get all the resources he needs; never
needing to worry about problems of the common folk. He made quick friends
for his family was fortunate and had a lot of connections. If he wasnt given
these advantages he would have been one of the Filipinos who fought and
risked their lives on the battlefield or even worse, one of those who were
mistreated and abused by the foreign power.
Albeit his previous claims, the writer regarded Rizal as an ideal hero.
Rizal is adept at using his mind to solve problems without having the need
for violent force. He had a heart of gold; he had great substantial character
and he undoubtedly gave his support to anyone in need of help. He won
battles using a pen, a piece of paper and his superior intellect. When he was
held captive, Rizal did not hesitate to fight for his country, even though he
knew the consequences of his actions.
In conclusion the writer stated that whether Rizal was a national hero
or not, Rizal has done good work as he has set us free from the hands of the
invaders. He is an ideal model of the youth; likewise he is an example of
selflessness and a beacon of strength and courage.

Shienaran (2008) Is Jos Rizal worthy to be our national hero? Why or why
not? . Retrieved from https://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
qid=20080103035625AAfAYVj
On the topic of Rizals authenticity of being a hero, an internet user stated
Someone above stated that Rizal merely wrote a novel exposing the sad
plight of the Filipino and spoke against Spanish oppression, but never
actually fought in pitch battles during the revolution, thereby not being
qualified to be a hero. Well, Ninoy Aquino was a journalist, he wrote articles
and later spoke against dictatorial oppression on radio and television and

d1ed for what he believed in. But he didn't pick up a bolo or a gun and fight
like Bonifacio did, does that make him less of a hero? Heck no, being a hero
means dying for what you believe to be true. It doesn't matter whether you
died in a battlefield, in front of a firing squad at the Luneta Park or at the
airport tarmac. They all had a choice, Rizal could've retracted what he said
and confessed to heresy as the friars wanted him to in order to escape the
firing squad, Ninoy could've chosen to stay in exile in the U.S. and not risk
getting shot at the airport, but they chose to face death instead to show
their countrymen that they were willing to die for their country and people.
To show the enemy that they were not afraid and that the enemy could
never take away their integrity and convictions. That is what makes a hero.
Not some warmonger who revels in taking the life of another human being
under the excuse of fighting for the lives of his countrymen, that type of
mentality is the same type of thinking that believes annihilating other people
of different beliefs or taking over a 5 star hotel in the name of patriotism will
turn one into a hero. So is Rizal worthy to be our national hero? Hell yeah!
He represented the best of what a Filipino could be in a time when the
average Filipino was illiterate and socially insecure, Rizal was a doctor, a
teacher, a writer and a Filipino. Anyone today would be proud to declare
themselves as a Filipino with that for a role model, wouldn't you?(2008).

Paraiso B. (19 September 2012) Did Rizal consider retracting while in


Dapitan?
Rizals retraction letter sparked endless debates. This letter is contrary
to his character as shown in his previous works about correcting the
injustices in the society. Rizal previously wrote a letter regarding the friars
cruelty against the Filipinos. He had known the risks of stepping up against
the injustices; however, in one letter he was unsure of his actions as he
stated that he doesnt know how to behave in that time.
Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao contains letters regarding
Rizals compliance to the friars terms in exchange for his freedom. Fr. Obach,
the one who wrote these letters, stated that Rizal is willing to retract his
actions against the Church; however, only if Obach agrees to the new terms
set. Fr. Obach believed that he had persuaded Rizal to turn over a new leaf.
Arguments and debates are solely focused on validity of Rizals
confession. The retraction documents had been signed by Rizal the night

before his execution; furthermore, the whole incident had been monitored by
several witnesses. Now, Fr. Obachs letters are doubted as reliable sources as
he could have modified his letters to serve his own cause.

Dizon E. (24 October 2011) Rizals Retraction: Truth or Myth.


The concept of this article revolves around the idea that whether
Rizals retraction is true or not, Rizal has inspired the Filipinos to fight against
the invaders of our land. It first gave light to the facts about the retraction
documents. The article concluded that Rizal had served a greater purpose,
even though he intended to confess his actions against the Church.
METHODOLOGY
A combination of library work and internet research was used in this
paper, although the latter was more used in the work. The data gathering
was conducted inside the library of the Entrepreneur School of Asia. Most of
the data was collected using the internet.
A qualitative analysis was used to interpret the data to give deeper
understanding of the topic.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STUDY


Filipinos remain ignorant about the truth behind Rizals authenticity as
a national hero. This paper aims to solve that problem by realizing the
factors that affect the Rizals situation. Filipinos deserve to be informed
about this topic as they are following Rizals example as a role Filipino model.
ANALYSIS
The reason why Rizal deserves to be national hero is because of his
enormous contributions to our country. Not only did he free us from slavery
but he inspired millions of Filipinos to do greater things for each other and for
their homeland.

The reason why Rizal is not considered an official national hero is


because of laws that are still not passed. Contrary to his principles, the
governing group on this matter fails to act for the benefit of others. What we
can contribute to this matter by informing the masses about the truth in
order to spark a movement to pass the laws needed for Rizal to be
recognized as a national hero.
The reason why there are arguments about Rizals situation is because
of his retraction documents. These documents are backed up by facts and
testimonies of the people involved with Rizal. However, even if these are
true, what Rizal has done to our country is more than enough to say that
Rizal is a hero. Even if Rizal decide to retract, his work has inspired countless
revolutionaries like Andres Bonifacio to fight for their country and will never
be out shadowed by his recent choice.
In conclusion Rizal deserves to be a national hero. Rizal might have
intended to withdraw from his work but still he has done more than he could
ever do to change the society. We must do everything in our power as
Filipinos to recognize one of the greatest men that have ever lived, as he did
for us.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ty R. (24 April 2012) Rizal is not our official national hero. Retrieved from
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/256043/lifestyle/artandculture/rizalis-notDe Guzman S. (31 December 2012) Is Jose Rizal a national hero? .Retrieved
from http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012-12-31/891680/jose-rizal-nationalhero
Did Dr. Jose Rizal deserve to be a national hero? (3 February 2007) Retrieved
from https://odysseyme23.wordpress.com/
Ronquillio M. (7 December 2013) Rizal vs. Bonifacio debates: silly, irrelevant,
nasty.
Retrieved from http://www.manilatimes.net/rizal-vs-bonifacio-debates-sillyirrelevant-nasty/58806/

Shienaran (2008) Is Jos Rizal worthy to be our national hero? Why or why
not? . Retrieved from https://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
qid=20080103035625AAfAYVj
Manto-Beltran L. (29 Aug 2015) The making of a Philippine national hero.
Retrieved from http://www.manilatimes.net/the-making-of-a-philippinenational-hero/213977/
Paraiso B. (19 September 2012) Did Rizal consider retracting while in
Dapitan? .Retrieved from http://nhcp.gov.ph/did-rizal-consider-retractingwhile-in-dapitan/
Dizon E. (24 October 2011) Rizals Retraction: Truth or Myth. Retrieved
from http://varsitarian.net/features/20111004/rizals_retraction_truth_vs_myth

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